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Confusion Reigns

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 13, 2007
Author: Amazon User

When I played the first Manhunt (way back when), I thoroughly enjoyed it. That game, much like its successor, received lots of negative exposure because of its "subject matter content" and overall violence. I, like most others who waited patiently for the sequel, plowed through yet more negative publicity; watched RockStar cancel its original release date for the game, and waded through all sorts of internet gossip about what had been done to the content of the game.

Manhunt (the original) is a far better game than Manhunt 2--and not becaue its gore factor was untouched. It was a better game, guys, because it had "soul." The characters were way more interesting, the writing was better and more creative, and the last stages were absolutely some of the creepiest I've ever encountered! My personal favorites were the Smileys (a tongue-in-cheek answer to Insane Clown Posse). I got killed so many times because I was laughing my butt off at some of the lines, e.g. "passing out before the main course...REALLY;" "well, I look divine? Why, thank you so much; it was just something I threw together;" and "My God; they're dropping like flies!"

In Manhunt 2, you get NO interesting characters. Instead, you get caricatures. It seems two people are involved in some sort of mind-altering experiment; the inmates riot, people escape, others are killed, and you try to retrace your footsteps to see what it all means. Along the way, you are urinated on, have feces thrown on you, you puke a lot, and you kill a lot. And that's about it. The big difference in Manhunt 2, is that even though the killings are much more grotesque than in the first game, you can't see any of them because of what RockStar had to do in order to get the game released. A "filter" has been installed and all you really get in the ability to HEAR what is happening to your victims. The controls are used differently, which I also didn't care for.

I do not blame RockStar for what it did; it simply did what it had to do in order to sell its product. I would suggest, however, that if there is a Manhunt 3, you see if you can't create characters that are more memorable; a storyline that is more than just killing; and have a main character your playing audience can feel something for.

Hopes Will Be Dashed

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 16, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Maybe I'm sick, but I was really looking forward to this sequel; The first game, however violent and twisted it was(and it WAS!), it was also one of the most intense, heart-in-your-throat, challenging games I had played; There was dread around every corner; There was a feeling that your very own life was on the line; Plus, you actually cared about the story and fairly straight-forward premise: Escape w/your life and get the guy that did this to you. And you wanted to get him, too!!

Even though I had heard part 2 was unrelated character-wise, I put my faith in Rockstar; They rarely put out a bad title in my experience. The storyline sounded interesting and the settings/level ideas had some potential promise. I was excited to play, hoping for a game that was thrilling and tough. Instead it seems like a half-baked retread that is missing more than the violence it had to take out.

The lack of violence wasn't the troubling factor here; It was gruesome enough, although it's hard to believe anything could surpass the 1st one, which is still out there uncensored(as it should be...). It was more the horrible control scheme and poor camera angles that appeared during the most critical of times, like fights or flight. I died due more to not being able to tell where I was or which direction the punches were coming from than by lack of skill(not the best player, but not the worst either...). The story had some nice moments, some great cut scenes, and the interactive deaths were a nice touch. But too short and uninspired to me. I really didn't care about my character, what my goals were, the twist you see coming from a mile away, and the fact that I never really felt like I had to be fighting for my life. And w/so many great games out there to play, nowadays I have little patience for games that control poorly, esp. one from Rockstar. That just makes me sad.

They should have delayed this longer and made it right. I just expect more from them.

All hype, still feels rushed despite delay

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User

So, Rockstar finally got to release the sequel the controversial cult classic "Manhunt", now part of the Sony`s "Greastest Hits" roster. In this game, there is no continuity involving the first title, this is a brand new story. You play the role of Daniel Lamb, science guy turned mental patient at the Dixmoore Asylum for the Criminaly insane.

Right away, I noticed a few glaring problems. One would be the unmappable controls. This is stupid, since these controls are acutally completely different from the ones used in the orginal Manhunt. Why change the controls when the gameplay is still the same? (I read somewhere that the PSP and PS2 versions share the same setup. Lazy) So what should have been familiar territory is now forcing me to relearn how to play the game all over again. Strike 1.

Another flaw that became apparent was the complete lack of charisma involving your enemies, or "gangs". The only gang that comes close would be the Bloodhounds, who seem like an offshoot of the Wardogs from Manhunt 1, what with their thick Southern accents and spouting the usual stereotypes you would expect from a group of Deep South hardcore hunting enthusiasts ("I been huntin` since I was wee high! Animals, humans, don`t mean nuthin!). The Watchdogs and the Project Militia, two of your most common foes in the game, just so happen to be the least interesting, never approaching the intimidation factor of Manhunt 1`s Smileys, Skinz, or even the Carcer City police. There`s a street gang known as the Kings, as well as the police,but who cares? They have nothing to do Daniel`s quest, are just there to be butchered for no reason other than the fact that they are in the way. Strike 2

Another thing I hated about this game. TOO MANY GUN BATTLES. in the first Manhunt, they were wisely introduced at point when the developers felt the player would have grown weary of a the ol` "hide and kill" routine, and gave you a chance to take the fight to your aggressors head-on. In Manhunt 2, they are numerous, and they are repetitive, and they are tiresome. Without the stealth elements, this game turns into a sub-standard 3rd person shooter, whuch is not the reason I bought this game. This is mostly during those awful flashback routines involving Daniels partner in crime, Leo Kasper. In fact, even the gunplay is not as tight as it was in the first Manhunt. In the original, lock-on was instantaneous, whilst here, in the sequel there`s a slight, but noticeable delay in having to wait for the target recticle to line up with your victim. Just long enough to catch a slug in your chest.

Take cover. Wait for the bad guys to to break cover and take a shot at you. Fire. Duck. Like a violent game of whack-a-mole. Strike 3

And finally, my biggest gripe with the game, the complete lack of any meaningful bonus content or alternate gameplay modes! They took the scoring system, claiming it didnt "fit in" with the game. Again, lazy! There`s no incentive to beat the game again, no reason to even abide by the rules of stealth, since there`s no kind of penalty for being spotted, nor is there any reward being beating a level quickly or getting a lot of gruesome kills. No concept art, no behind the scenes, no merchandise, NOTHING. Even the strategy guide features zero in-depth information on the game itself, nor the gangs. Strike 4

I guess you can`t talk about Manhunt without bringing up the executions, but I`m pleased to announce this is the ONE thing the game did right. Ignore all the poorly written reviews from 15-year old rebels who honestly think they`re making a statement about freedom of speech by playing a slapped together, violent cheap cash-in. For the PS2/PSP, the "censoring" is NOWHERE near as bad as anyone makes it out to be. Unless you have crappy eyesight or a crappy tv, you can still make out whether Daniel is beating someone in the back of the head with a sledgehammer or applying a scythe to someone`s family jewels. The screen takes on a red hue with random chromatic distortions along with a brief flash of inverted black and white during the physical blows. (NOTE: The Wii version is even more heavily censored, probably to compensate for having perform physical motions with the controller to perform executions). if anything, this makes it MORE violent, since the distortion leads to a bigger focus on the sound effects, what with all the bones popping, skulls crushed, power tools sawing through flesh, blood-curdled gasps of agony, need I go on?

The concept behind executions remain the same. Sneak up on the would-be assailant, hold down a button to generate to go from white (quick kill), yellow (violent kill) to red (gruesome kill). But, since there is no score system, there`s really no incentive to go for the higher level kills outside of personal amusement. Rockstar also ups the ante by allowing gun exectutions, something which not possible in the first Manhunt. Gun executions only have one animation per weapon as opposed to three, but rest assured, they`re just as vicious as the melee weapons. There are also enviromental executions, where Daniel can use special points on the map to lure his enemies into, and the don`t require a weapon. Most of them are a one-time-only deal, but yield some of the best executions (personal favs being the manhole and the liquid nitrogen).

So there you have. For all fuss about children not being exposed to game is ironic since they are the ones who will get the most mileage out of what is strictly a rental. This is the "Hostel" of video games: Torture porn a violent titillation with no actual substance to back any of it up. Buy the original Manhunt instead, and if there is a third in the series, lets hope Rockstar actually manages some content and new gameplay elements, instead of re-wrapping the same thing in a slightly shinier package.

a bit let down

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: November 03, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I waited years for a sequel to manhunt only to be let down on many levels. The original Manhunt is in my top 3 game for PS2 ever made. I have re-played it so many times because it is such a challenging, fun game with so many exciting characters and levels.
Before we even get into the censorship aspect of manhunt 2, lets start with the overall look of the game. Why didn't the game developers stick with the basic engine of the first one? Grand Theft Auto has always stuck with the basic character controls and design of the game while continuing to improve game play with each release. I expected the same from Manhunt 2 but knew the second I saw the opening screen, things weren't going to be smooth.
There is an option in the settings screen that allows you to turn of the "screen noise". I would recommend doing this before starting the game. The screen noise does not add anything and takes away from the graphics. Unfortunately, this does NOT turn of the distorted filter on the execution screens. The graphics are ok. The first game had a slightly cartoonish look to the graphics but they still looked good and in some ways, added to the feel of the game more than the new one does. The original seemed darker and creepier too. Manhunt 2 isn't as dark and fails to keep you on the edge of your seat like the original did so well. Then we have the camera angles which are just horrible along with the clunky, clumsy controls. Your main character Daniel Lamb, is too large on the screen and therefore limits what you can see in hallways. Sometimes in close hand to hand combat I can't even see what I'm doing. I just swing away and hope for the best. There are times when you just can't see what is around you or where you're walking due to the very poor camera angles. When trying to do a jump attack from high positions, you can't always look down to see where your enemy is due to camera and control problems. When using stealth in the shadows, Daniel seems to be slightly illuminated rather than dark. Makes it hard to tell if you're actually hidden and takes away from the excitement of ducking in the shadows. Then you have to control your breathing which I don't think adds much to the game. Some of the on screen instructions pop up too quickly and don't give you enough time to read them. I didn't even know what the "environmental kills" were till about 5 levels into the game. I decided to start over when I realized I had skipped them all.
Manhunt 2 also seems to be void of interesting characters like the first one. In the original Manhunt, each level brought new and interesting villains to take on. In the new game, there seems to be the same boring bad guys on each level.
And now we have the censorship part of the problem. Executions are now blurred and distorted which take away from the effect of them completely. It's not even that exciting anymore. This is disappointing because the executions have become more gruesome and interesting. And along with the new "environmental executions" you really feel let down by the censor filter they put on them. The original Manhunt was just as bloody and violent yet Sony had no problem releasing it. So why has Manhunt 2 been stripped down so much? Pressure from big mouth conservatives who spend time going after video games rather than tackling any real problems in society.
The game grew on me more and more with each level, but it has it's flaws. I expected more from a sequel to one of the best games I've ever played.

Total Disapointment

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: November 06, 2007
Author: Amazon User

What a waste of time! I have been waiting for the release of this game with anticipation since I finished the first one. Man what a peice of crap. Rockstar should just close shop if this is what we can expect from them for now on. I mean whats the point. The whole reason people loved the first game, lets be honest, was the gore and violent killings. I expected not only the same, but better in the 2nd one. Rockstar, you guys are sellouts and the biggest cowards in the biz. If your not going to stand up for yourselves and your true fans and consumers, then sell your company to disney or something. Pathetic game, and a waste of my money. Thanks for nothing Rockstar.

Manhunt 2: Uncut (Review)

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: November 09, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Okay, so i'll admit it.

Manhunt 2 is far too censored to even stand up to it's originator, the original Manhunt game of 2004. Jack Thompson and the ESRB forced Rockstar Games and Take-2 to censor the game, and dull it down from AO to M. And censored, it is!

Well...sort of.
But it's still annoying!

And really kills the purpose of the game.

The killing sequences have been given darker animations, a blur filter, and monochrome (amongst other colors) flashes during most of the "impacts" of the kill. Also, there's this red tint to the entire screen, as the kill takes place. All while this censorship goes on.

Naturally, I wasn't having that! So what did I do? I resorted to what any other self-respecting gamer would do. Instead of returning the game in utter disappointment, I justified my 30 dollar purchase of Manhunt 2 with a modification code, to make this game uncut.

Replayed it, and found myself enjoying it alot more than my original playthrough of the M rated version. Afterall, Manhunt is all about the gore. And this mod made it just as good as the original Manhunt, if not, better.

Stand alone, i'd give the game (Manhunt 2) a 3/5.

It's interesting, and has decent characters. But I came into this game for it's trademark sadism, execution kills, and the all around bloodbath that the original offered me.

And that was all but really apparent, here.

It has it's moments, but they're all censored and obscured to some if not many extents. Forget what you've heard! Every single execution in this game (even the dull ones), is ruined by this censorship (filter). Many sites claim that "only the really bad ones" were given this filter. But no.

Every single execution in the game was treated this way.

However, with the aid of a cheat device (Code Breaker), and a code that can be found on the internet (by a hacker calling himself Skiller), you too can enjoy this game the way it was almost fully meant to be played. The only thing missing from the game is the removed decapitations executions, and a few of the inviromental kills dubbed "too contraversial".

The code in question removes all of the execution filters. Making them all easily seen, without any blur, color flashes, or anything else that might obscure your view of the kill.

I will not post the code here, myself. As I do not wish to get on Rockstar's bad side, or be sued for posting "hot coffee" mods. But if you do yourself a favor and buy yourself (or even own) an updated (version 10) Code Breaker cheat device, search up "Manhunt 2 Code" and perhaps even "Skiller". You'll more than likely find the code.

Type it into your Code Breaker, boot up Manhunt 2, and enjoy the game the way you wanted to play it before the censorship ruined it for you. You'll be suprized at what the visible gore can do for your overall rating of the game, in the end. I gave it an extra star due to it, and that put it from "average" to "pretty good".

Do I suggest buying Manhunt 2? Sure. Do I ALSO suggest purchasing a Code Breaker WITH Manhunt 2, to optimize and intensify your overall experience with Manhunt 2? Ofcourse. Otherwise, this game is only a rental at best.

So if you're planning on buying this game, get a Code Brekaer with it, and do some research on that code I mentioned above. If you've already reviewed the game based on it's censorship, use the code, and re-review the game. Give it an honest rating. The rating it was MEANT to be given before the censorship probably ruined it for you.

Manhunt 2 - 3/5 stars.

Censorship kind of ruins the game. Makes the kills not really worth even doing. And overall takes the "soul" out of a game that was all about what ended up censored. I came for the bloodshed. That's what Manhunt is all about. Taking that away from me has made me, and MANY gamers, very upset.

Having to resort to...

Manhunt 2: Uncut (with a Code Breaker cheat device) - 4/5 stars. The non-obscured gore really does ALOT, for the overall feel of the game. It actually FEELS like Manhunt now. No monochrome, red, and blue flashing to obscure your view of what you ultimately came to see...Manhunt.

I know this review only talks about the code, and what the added gore does for the game. But do your homework, search for the code, get a Code Breaker, and review the game after playing it the right (AO) way.

I almost guarintee that your review will be accompanied by atleast 1-2 extra stars, in Manhunt 2's defense.

This IS a good game.
Way better than average, infact.

But you'll need to go in an tinker with it a bit, to see that...

Make your own decision. But I think Manhunt 2...UNCUT...is worth the purchase. If that means buying a seperate Code Breaker just to make it that way, I strongly implure you all to do so. You'll get a MUCH better end impression of the game, as opposed to you playing it the normal (M-rated) way.

If you don't want to go through the trouble of getting a Code Breaker, rent the game. And make a purchase decision afterward.

However. If you want to go through the extra trouble of getting a Code Breaker (extra 20 dollars) and uncensoring the game (for the most part) just to see what made this game so...AO...then I def. suggest buying this game.

It's well worth the purchase when you see and play it, uncut.
The way it was meant to be played.

Censored - 3/5 (RENT IT FIRST! IT MAY NOT SEEM THAT WORTH IT, AFTER YOU SEE HOW DULLED DOWN THE EXECUTIONS ARE.)

Uncut - 4/5 (BUY IT OUTRIGHT, IF YOU PLAN ON UNCENSORING IT WITH A CODE BREAKER! IT'S WELL WORTH THE MONEY! AND TOTALLY JUSTIFIES THE PURCHASE OF THIS GAME.)

The only thing that would've made the game better uncut, was the addition of everything that was removed. Otherwise, i'm highly satisfied with not only my Manhunt 2 purchase, but my decision to uncensor the game and play it the right way, as well.

Censored, But still fun as heck

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: November 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

sure this game is censored and "making people in the world kill other people." Despite the censors, the game is great. i love this game's plot and themes but i dislike some of the censors. there are only a couple that look cool (The pistol execution) but the rest lack the gruesomeness and horror that rockstar games wanted us to experience. The censors basically divide this game from the last game. I do enjoy how much more action there is in this one compared to the last (most wanted)such as the gun fights and enviormental executions. the enviormental executions make this game. they make everything a hell of a lot more risky and fun.Overall i think if you enjoyed the first one, you'll enjoy this one and have fun. Rockstar games once again, managed to make a disturbing, over the top game for us to enjoy.

great true to original still fun with headset

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: November 02, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Like most i was skeptical that they made a filter for the kills but they are on and off and adds to the psychosis that the main character is going through. I would say that the premise is much the same, the enemie characters are more generic and the story is weaker. But even so this is one of the best games out. The s and m club scene was probably the best chapters the cool thing is now there are environmental kills and there were a lot just like hostel with needles and electric saws. The premise of a crazy guy was a great idea. The stealth game is still up there with splinter cell and the enemy a.i. is still high with a quick time event for guys looking in shadows like re4. Reviewers say the a.i. is weak but then they say its hard that doesnt make sense i know its hard if your not in stealth. Its suspenseful with same amazing audio, the upconvert on ps3 is nice too, coupled with the great use of usb headset only ps2 to lure enemies and hear things this is the best version and only $30 bucks. Not bad and i have the demo of conan and i would say for half of 60 your getting a much deeper, more intense, gorey game. The original manhunt was ahead of its time and it feels that this was like a sidestep upgrade but i think they were prepping a next gen manhunt 3 all along soon hopefully with EArl Cash. Still this is an amazing game great gameplay great suspense, only place for this much gore, and please buy to support rockstar they only edited for esrb. And the change isnt that bad i heard its more edited on wii. Only one scene had it blurred but that was with a guy nailed to a seat. you wont be disappointed i know im a gamer for 20 years at 25

No other games out there quite like it!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: January 25, 2008
Author: Amazon User

If you liked the first Manhunt game, you should like this one too. No other game series out there like this one. Combined stealth, shooter and morbid killing, with a wild story-line that mixes serious, heroic, comic and insanity all into one. Being the second game in the series, and from all the hype, my expectations were really high. Well, it didnt live up to what I expected, but it was still a great game and a lot of fun to play. I hope they come out with a P3 version...and I hope Rockstar takes it up a notch (to the next level) to meet the higher expectations!

Hostel Meets Manhunt!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: November 06, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Let start by saying this was a pretty dam good sequel. Could it have been better sure but at least it offers a new story some good violence and a great challenge. You get a insight into the project and what there all about and your usual hunters that are sick and depraved as ever. You also get to play two differnt people this time around one being Lamb and the other Leo. I know its not as violent as the first but this game still has that over all creepy feeling and just good clean fun. I say take chance with this one its better than a lot of sequel I played.

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